Should I?

track bike!!! You would just need to sort the suspension...

Please buy it Chris, it is my bikes older brother

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

The doubt I have is loads of people who have never ridden one keep saying I'll die horribly.
Fair play really, its better than cancer

huni,my best mate bought one a year after passing his test-he'd had a zzr 600 up to that point...we all said the same, he'd die etc...
over 2 years later hes still here, still has the tl and loves it
so if you can afford t, do it.

Its deffo on my list for next toy i think, spose would suit me better than a blade or summit and i love the sound of v-twins sooooooooo......... Thats me sorted Chris buy it keep it in good nick and i'll buy it off ya for 1800 next winter?

No? Worth a try

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Why not

Originally Posted by Ed

8 years old and 30K miles? No thanks...

Ed hit the nail on the head, apart from the insurance, the bike could be a real money pit. The frame cracking issues worry me more than the widow making rep. If you buy a TLS you really need to know all about them. Some research into the recalls and you need to know if they were done way back when.
If the bike had full service history for the age and mileage it's not so bad, but without that it's a total toss of the dice.

I'd rather get a cat D sv1000 and modify it than buy an old TLS with no history. Why? Parts availability, the older the bike the more 2nd hand parts cost.

I actually rode a TLS, a supposedly sorted one, handling isn't great, sort of like the 1985 GSXR. Fast and loose is how they felt, could be a Suzuki thing. I know about the steering damper issue and all that does is mask the issue and mess up the low speed steering.

To be honest any second hand bike can a be a money pit, you've just got to be aware that even if nothing goes wrong with it the running costs will be much higher than the SV. As for the widow maker reputation don't believe all you hear, indeed the earlier models were prone to bucking 'a little' when pushed hard but the major problems were sorted after '98. You can do just as much damage to your health pushing the SV too hard so just keep your right hand under control and you'll be fine, personally I find my TLR is easier to ride than my old SV but thats just down to my riding style I think. Frame probs were more prolific on the R as opposed to the S but do check really well as problems don't get much harder/expensive than a cracked frame or headstock.

Sounds like you'd get screwed on insurance

I couldn't justify that insurance premium, i moan at £200.

ha! they're so ugly!

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Warthog

Sounds like you'd get screwed on insurance

Severely, and getting around this 33bhp b0llocks is going to be complicated.

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

ha! they're so ugly!

I think youve followed a wrong link somewhere mate